Ayurvedic practitioner in Victoria, British Columbia with Airlie Ogden

The California College of Ayurveda is pleased to introduce the Ayurvedic Health Practitioner Interns 2014. Interns have completed their academic studies and work under the supervision of experienced clinical instructors. This semester's talented group of interns comes from throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Ayurvedic Health Practitioner (AHP) interns work on supporting patients to adopt a healthy lifestyle that is in harmony with their constitution. Patients learn about their constitution as well as the nature of any imbalances. They will also receive support to adjust their diet and lifestyle accordingly and to normalize your digestion and elimination. As part of the Ayurvedic program, an intern can include ayurvedic herbs, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound and mantra, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. This is is the best of preventative health care! For those who have a specific condition and are looking for clinical management through Ayurvedic Medicine, they should consider having a consultation with an Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist intern or graduate.

Interview with Airlie from Canada

1) What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

I was first introduced to Ayurveda in 2010 during my professional yoga therapy training with Integrative Yoga Therapy. I began reading and experimenting with its foundational principles in both my daily routines and my yoga practice, and was struck by how intuitive it is. Several years prior, I’d graduated university with a degree in Psychology. I knew that at some point I wanted to continue my formal education, but when I got accepted to and began a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology in 2012 it no longer felt like an authentic fit; I kept wishing I could be studying Ayurvedic Medicine instead. And so I made the switch: I withdrew from my Masters program and immediately enrolled at the California College of Ayurveda. Beginning my formal studies of Ayurvedic Medicine was an act of trust, and one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

2) What do you think makes Ayurveda attractive to the public?

Ayurveda helps people understand their uniqueness–their strengths, their differences, their quirks¬–from a place of compassion and support. It teaches people to work with what they’ve got in whatever way they’re able to in order to promote healing and vitality. This fosters self-empowerment. Ayurveda embraces each person as an individual and takes into account wellness of all levels of being.

3) What do you think about the future of Ayurveda in Canada?

I think there’s a growing demand for Ayurveda in Canada. In recent years there’s been a leap in the acceptance of alternative forms of medicine and Ayurveda is becoming more and more recognized and respected. I think there’s incredible opportunity for education on how to live in a way that makes people more effective in disease prevention and self-sufficient in health maintenance. I believe that people want more than just to feel well; they want to feel good about the means by which they become well.

4) What is your favorite therapy in this traditional system of medicine from India?

My favourite therapy is abhyanga. It’s such a grounding, nourishing therapy, but feels like an indulgence as well. I also love that I can do it myself if/when I don’t have the opportunity to see a specialist. I truly believe that care-full touch heals.

5) What does your path to Ayurveda look like?

I was born and raised on Prince Edward Island–Canada’s smallest province. I grew up roaming its rolling green hills and bright red soil, all cradled by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. After graduating from university with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004, I travelled extensively around Europe, South East Asia and China. It was during the year I spent living in Shanghai that I discovered yoga and began a new path that would eventually lead me to my current profession as a yoga instructor and student of Ayurvedic Medicine. It wasn’t until I’d moved away from the ocean that I realize how deeply affected I am by water. That unexplainable understanding of our connection to the elements is one of the reasons I was drawn to Ayurvedic Medicine (for its use of the five elements as a means of understanding and healing imbalance) and chose to begin my formal education in this field. Throughout the last few years I’ve bounced back and forth between Canada’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and I now very happily call Victoria, BC home.